Red maple named &#39;Katie Cole&#39;

ABSTRACT

A red maple tree named Katie Cole, a medium tree distinguished by the prolonged red coloration of its new leaf growth.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES INCLUDING THE VARIETY DENOMINATIONOF THE PLANT CLAIMED

The plant claimed relates to a new and distinct variety of red maple,botanically known as Acer rubrum, and known by the cultivar name KatieCole.

This new cultivar was found mixed with a quantity of trees of Acerrubrum ‘Franksred’ grown at Sunleaf Nursery in Madison, Ohio. This newcultivar was noted as distinctive because of the striking red leaves onthe expanding shoots that caused it to stand out from the others.

The Katie Cole variety is the only variant of red maple I am aware ofthat displays the prolonged red coloration of its new leaf growth.Leaves of red maple are often red as they emerge from the bud, but thiscolor rapidly changes to the normal green as the leaves expand. Theleaves of the Katie Cole variety maintain a saturated red color fromwhen they emerge until they are fully expanded. This character providesan additional period of high ornamental interest for this variety, inaddition to the red fall leaf coloration period that is normally afeature of this species.

The original Katie Cole cultivar, which is 8 years old, is approximately14 feet tall, and has a single main trunk and pyramidal crown ofascending branches.

The Katie Cole cultivar has been asexually reproduced at Sunleaf Nurseryin Madison, Ohio, by means of grafting and budding, and plantspropagated by this method have displayed the same unique characteristicsof the original plant.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a colored photograph illustrating the overall appearance ofthe cultivar Katie Cole in the summer.

FIG. 2 is a colored photograph illustrating the prolonged red colorationof the new leaf growth of Katie Cole in the summer.

All of the drawing figures show the colors as truly as is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The following is a detailed description of my new cultivar, Katie Cole.In all cases, where color is different from the typical and isconsidered a distinguishing feature of this variety, reference is madeto specific colors on the R.H.S. Colour Chart (1986 ed.) published byThe Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. Here follows adetailed description of the characteristics of this cultivar, asdisplayed by specimens grown at Madison, Lake County, Ohio. Colorationof leaves and bark may be variable, due to conditions of nutrition,stress, age of plant, location on plant and the presence/absence ofsun/shade. Plant part comparisons have been made using samples takenfrom a mature plant where growth rates and characteristics areconsidered typical.

-   Botanical description:    -   -   Parentage.—Unknown — discovered in a group of nursery trees            of Acer rubrum ‘Franksred’.        -   Hardiness.—Hardy in USDA Hardiness Zone 4b (−25° F.).        -   Growth rate.—Moderate, more rapid in youth.        -   Habit.—Deciduous tree with single main trunk and pyramidal            crown of ascending branches.        -   Bark.—Light grey, smooth on trunk and main branches.        -   Leaves.—Oppositely arranged, deciduous, simple, palmately            3-lobed. The margins of the leaves are doubly serrate. Leaf            blade 7.5-13 cm. in length, 5-11 cm. across, petioles            2.5-5 cm. in length. Color of expanding leaves Red-Purple            Group 59A becoming Greyed-Purple Group 183A at near full            expansion. Color of the upper (adaxial) surface of mature            leaves Green Group 1-37A, lower (abaxial) surface            Greyed-Green Group 191C. At full leaf expansion, the petiole            is colored Red Group 46A along its entire length and on all            sides. This color extends into and persists in the primary            veins on the upper (adaxial) surface of the leaves and            primary and secondary veins on the underside (abaxial            surface) of the leaves. In fall, color of the upper leaf            surface becomes Greyed-Purple Group 187A at peak coloration.        -   Twigs.—Slender, smooth, reddish brown with numerous white,            elliptical lenticels.        -   Flowers.—Not observed.        -   Seeds.—Not observed.

1. A red maple tree named Katie Cole, as described and illustrated, amedium tree distinguished by the prolonged red coloration of its newleaf growth.